Understand · Payroll glossary
What is the notice period?
Updated on
The notice period is the period between the announcement that an employment contract will end and its actual end; its length, in weeks, depends on your seniority. In 2026: 18 weeks (notice for dismissal after 5 years’ seniority (contracts started since 1 January 2014)). In Dutch: opzegtermijn.
Definition of the notice period
For a contract started since 1 January 2014, blue-collar and white-collar workers have the same notice periods. In the case of dismissal, the period increases with seniority; for contracts performed from 1 June 2026, it is capped at 52 weeks from 17 years’ seniority. In the case of resignation, it is shorter and limited to 13 weeks.
For contracts starting since 1 August 2026, the notice period is one week during the first six months, for both sides. Notice can be worked (you keep working) or replaced by a payment.
The key figure in 2026
Source: Délais de préavis pour les travailleurs en service depuis le 1er janvier 2014 (dismissal, resignation, counter-notice; June and August 2026 rules), Securex (secondary source). Value in force on 1 October 2026.
Worked example
| Seniority | Dismissal | Resignation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 year | 8 wk | 4 wk |
| 2 years | 12 wk | 6 wk |
| 3 years | 13 wk | 6 wk |
| 4 years | 15 wk | 7 wk |
| 5 years | 18 wk | 9 wk |
In Dutch: opzegtermijn
In a Dutch-language contract or letter from the employer or the National Employment Office (NEO), the notice period is called ‘opzegtermijn’ or ‘opzeggingstermijn’; in French-language ones, ‘préavis’. In English: notice period.
Dutch term taken from: Securex (secondary source).
Not to be confused with…
- Payment in lieu of notice: the sum the employer pays instead of a worked notice period: the pay you would have received during that notice.
- Counter-notice: if you find a job during a dismissal notice period, you can leave earlier with a counter-notice of up to 4 weeks.
Calculate it for your situation
Your notice period in 2026, the payment in lieu of notice in gross and net, and what you receive when you leave.
Related terms
- Payment in lieu of noticeContract, working time and career · in Dutch: opzeggingsvergoeding
- Departure holiday payBonuses, holiday pay and benefits · in Dutch: vertrekvakantiegeld
- Guaranteed wageContract, working time and career · in Dutch: gewaarborgd loon
Sources
Parameters in force on 1 October 2026. Each parameter links to its source, the official one where it exists; a secondary source is flagged as such.
- Délais de préavis pour les travailleurs en service depuis le 1er janvier 2014 (dismissal, resignation, counter-notice; June and August 2026 rules), Securex (secondary source).
- Projet de loi portant des dispositions diverses relatives au travail, texte adopté en deuxième lecture (DOC 56 1324/008, 24 April 2026), Articles 5, 24, 25 and 27, Chamber of Representatives.
- La période d’essai est de retour (ou presque) : ce qui change dès le 1er août 2026, Forum for the Future (Deg & Partners) (secondary source).
- Beëindiging van de arbeidsovereenkomst in 15 vragen, Securex (secondary source).